Killing the Chimera
Presentation by Margaret Pinto as a part Late Breaking, the 2026 VCUarts MFA Candidacy Presentation
April 17–25, 2026, The Anderson Gallery, Richmond, VA
Statement:
Through a vocabulary of ceramic surfaces and forms which warp, melt and transform under external forces, my work explores the fallibility of structures and living bodies. I frequently create absurd, ornate objects which are built to fit the form of the human body. Much of this work references historic artifacts such as crowns, burial vessels and armor. I gravitate towards objects that represent what I see as human attempts to cope with instability and mortality. I’m interested in garments which augment or protect the body, displays of power through adornment and excess, and objects used in rituals surrounding death and dying.
I aim to put the viewer in the position of an anthropologist or archeologist- they must work backwards from a confounding object and attempt to piece together when and why it came to be, and what purpose it may have. Much like the process of deducing information about the past through preserved objects- or natural indicators like mineral layers- small details come together to form an imperfect picture of a world to which we are barred complete access.
Unlike archeology however, in my work the past, present and future are merged. Textures and forms suggest transformation and deterioration, but the ceramic material does not decompose. Through this blurring of timeline and material a world of ambiguity emerges for the viewer to peer into. The inhabitants of this world teeter on the edge between past and present, inside and outside, delight and disgust. They leave behind remnants of their desires, fears, lust and longing. Like chasing a Chimera, or predicting the future, we can attempt to piece these fragments together into a clear picture, but the view will always be obscured and illusory.
